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Athletes First's Overview

Total employees140
HeadquartersLaguna Hills
Founded2001

Athletes First is a prominent full-service sports representation agency founded in 2001. They specialize in representing elite NFL players, coaches, and sports broadcasters in contract negotiations, marketing and endorsements, and career management. The agency is known for its client-centric approach, striving to maximize opportunities and provide comprehensive support for its roster of high-profile talent. They have a strong track record of negotiating record-breaking contracts and building long-term careers for their clients.

Where is Athletes First's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Serves as the primary operational hub for client management, contract negotiations, marketing strategy development, and administrative functions.

Notable Features:

Modern office facilities designed to support high-level client interactions and collaborative teamwork, situated in a professional business park environment.

Work Culture:

A dynamic, fast-paced, and highly competitive environment driven by a passion for sports and dedication to client success. Emphasizes teamwork, integrity, and relentless advocacy for their athletes.

HQ Significance:

The headquarters is central to Athletes First's strategic operations, brand representation, and for fostering relationships with athletes, NFL teams, and corporate partners.

Values Reflected in HQ: The professional and well-equipped headquarters reflects the agency's commitment to excellence, client service, and maintaining a leading position in the sports representation industry.

Location:

While primarily focused on the North American sports market, particularly the NFL, Athletes First supports its clients with global marketing and endorsement opportunities. Their reach extends internationally through partnerships and negotiations for athletes with global appeal, though they do not maintain a large network of international physical offices, preferring a centralized US-based operation with global outreach capabilities.

Street Address:

23091 Mill Creek Dr

City:

Laguna Hills

State/Province:

CA

Country:

USA

Athletes First's Global Presence

New York, NY, USA

Address: Specific street address not publicly listed; operations are supported by agents based in this key market.

Serves the dense sports and media landscape of the Northeast, providing localized support and strategic advantages for clients.

Atlanta, GA, USA

Address: Specific street address not publicly listed; operations are supported by agents based in this key market.

Provides a base for operations in a significant football talent pool and supports athletes throughout the Southeastern United States.

Austin, TX, USA

Address: Specific street address not publicly listed; operations are supported by agents based in this key market.

Taps into the rich football ecosystem of Texas and the Southwest, offering representation for emerging and established athletes.

Buying Intent Signals for Athletes First

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Athletes First

As of April 2025, Athletes First' leadership includes:

David Dunn - Founder & CEO
Brian Murphy - President
Todd France - CEO, Football / Agent
Joe Panos - COO / Agent
Justin Schulman - General Counsel / Agent
Carmen Wallace - CFO / Agent

Investors of Athletes First

Athletes First has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Athletes First is a privately held company. Its primary stakeholders are likely its founding partners and key equity-holding agents.

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire2
Exits0

In the past 12 months, Athletes First strengthened its marketing leadership with key internal promotions. No major executive departures have been publicly announced.

New Appointments:

J.R. Hensley, J.R. Hensley appointed as Co-Head of Marketing to spearhead client marketing and endorsement strategies.
Jeff Whitney, Jeff Whitney appointed as Co-Head of Marketing, focusing on enhancing brand opportunities for the agency's clientele.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Athletes First

Discover the tools Athletes First uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Athletes First Email Formats and Examples

Athletes First primarily utilizes the email domain athletesfirst.net. The most common email format appears to be the first initial followed by the last name.

[first_initial][last]@athletesfirst.net

Format

ddunn@athletesfirst.net

Example

85%

Success rate

News and media

Austin American-StatesmanDecember 6, 2023

Athletes First signs University of Texas QB Quinn Ewers for NIL representation

Leading sports agency Athletes First has signed Quinn Ewers, quarterback for the University of Texas, for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) representation, further expanding its portfolio of elite football talent and its presence in collegiate sports....more

Sports Business JournalJuly 11, 2023

Athletes First names J.R. Hensley, Jeff Whitney co-heads of marketing

Athletes First announced the promotion of veteran agents J.R. Hensley and Jeff Whitney to serve as co-heads of its marketing division. They are tasked with enhancing and expanding endorsement and branding opportunities for the agency's NFL and broadcasting clients....more

Sports Business JournalFebruary 20, 2024

NFLPA agent data: Athletes First leads agencies in total number of clients

According to recent NFLPA data, Athletes First leads all other agencies in the total number of NFL players represented, underscoring its dominant position in the football representation landscape with 197 clients....more

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